Dispatcher pleads guilty in attack at Pat's towing

Wednesday

Aug 13, 2014 at 6:00 AMAug 13, 2014 at 10:58 AM

By Gary V. Murray TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

WORCESTER — A Plantation Street man has been placed on probation after pleading guilty to assault and battery charges stemming from what prosecutors said was a 2009 "racial attack" on two men of Mexican descent at Pat's Service Center and Towing on Shrewsbury Street.

Tommie D. Simone, 32, of 33 Plantation St., was placed on probation for one year after pleading guilty Tuesday in Worcester Superior Court to two counts of assault and battery. The sentence imposed by Judge James R. Lemire was recommended by Assistant District Attorney Terrence M. Reidy and Mr. Simone's lawyer, Gregory Casale.

Dismissed as part of the plea agreement in the case were two counts each of kidnapping, assault and battery to intimidate with personal injury and a civil rights violation with injury.

Mr. Reidy said Mr. Simone, who was working as a dispatcher at Pat's at the time, took part in a May 1, 2009, attack upon 20-year-old Juan Carlos Murillo and his 48-year-old father, Pablo Murillo, after a dispute over the younger Murillo's car having been towed.

Mr. Reidy said the Murillos were subjected to racial slurs by Patsy Santa Maria Jr., whose father owns the towing company at 5 Shrewsbury St., as they were being beaten by Pat's employees. According to the prosecutor, employees shut and locked the office door behind the Murillos once they entered the business and a fight ensued after the younger Murillo was "sucker-punched."

Both victims suffered cuts and bruises and were taken to the hospital, according to Mr. Reidy.

The prosecutor said Mr. Simone did not instigate the attack or direct racial slurs at the victims. Mr. Reidy described Mr. Simone's participation in the assault as "an aberration" and said he believed probation was an appropriate sentence.

As a condition of probation, Mr. Simone was ordered to have no contact with the Murillos. Mr. Simone was one of several Pat's employees charged in connection with the attack.